Isabel Eirqa, a newcomer to Coral Island, takes over her late father's farm, seeking solace and purpose. She befriends Surya Widjojo, a scientist grieving his mother's recent passing. As Isabel and Surya navigate their new lives, they develop a deep...
The following evening, Isabel walked toward the carpenter shop, her steps light but her heart heavy with concern. The air was crisp with the scent of fallen leaves, and the sun was just beginning to set, casting a warm orange glow across the island. She had hoped Surya would reply to her message, but as the day wore on and her phone remained silent, her concern grew.
As she approached the carpenter shop, Isabel's breath caught in her throat. Standing at the front door was Surya, his posture tense, his hands clenched at his sides. Across from him stood a woman dressed in a navy coat and black long johns, her long black hair cascading down her back. It took Isabel a moment to recognize her—Maya, Surya's sister.
Isabel froze, instinctively stepping back into the shadows. She didn't want to interrupt, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene unfolding before her. Surya and Maya talked in Bahasa Indonesia, a language that Isabel did not quite understand, but she tried to listen.
***
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"Ngapain kamu ke sini?" (What are you doing here?)
Surya's voice was sharp, filled with a mix of anger and exhaustion. "Udah telat, May. Pulang aja."(It's too late. Just.. go home.)
Maya's expression was strained, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She took a hesitant step forward, her voice trembling as she spoke. "Kak Surya, aku ke sini buat minta maaf sama Kakak. Aku udah coba hubungi Ayah, tapi nggak ada hasil. Aku tahu seberapa berat ini buat kamu... buat Ayah... ngadepin semuanya sendirian. Tapi aku juga sakit, Kak. Hans nggak mau aku pergi ke Mama... Aku bener-bener bingung."(Surya, I came to apologize. I've been trying to contact Dad, but there's no use. I know how hard it's been for you... for him... to face this loss alone. But I'm hurting too, Surya. Hans didn't want me to leave... I was torn.)
Surya's eyes darkened, his anger rising. "Oh, gitu ya..."(Yeah, right...). He rolled his eyes. "Kalau begitu, harusnya kamu dengerin Mama sama Ayah waktu mereka bilang jangan nikah sama dia! Kenapa kamu ngotot banget nggak mau nurut? Semua ini buat kebaikan kamu sendiri, May!"(Then you should have listened to Mom and Dad when they told you not to marry him! Why did you keep resisting their advice when it was all for your own good?).
His voice grew louder, almost a shout, and the raw pain in his tone was unmistakable.
Maya flinched, her tears finally spilling over. She reached out to him, her voice cracking with desperation. She listened to Surya who hadn't yet finished his line.
"Aku dukung kamu, loh, ketika kamu mau nikahin Hans. Aku percaya kamu udah dewasa dan aku yang bilangin Mama dan Ayah buat ngebiarin kamu milih. Aku cuma pengin kamu bahagia, May. Aku nggak berekspektasi apa-apa,"(I let you decide what was best for you, even when it was hard. When you decided to marry Hans, I supported you. I'm the one who convinced Mom and Dad that you knew what you were doing. I wanted you to be happy and I don't expect a single thing)
