The two siblings finally dried their cheeks and hoisted themselves off the floor, grinning at one another while boiling some water to make tea. They laid out the saté that Chandra had brought, unfolding the brown rice-wrapping paper on a plate as they sat on the floor. The chicken and lamb skewers were still slightly warm, complete with rice and lontong, savory rice cakes. 

And Chandra was right about Kyra’s pepaya jam. It was just the right amount of sweet, not too much that it made Kartika’s face twist from the sugar and not too bland that it was uninteresting to eat. It was a labor of love. 

Kartika turned to look at her older sibling who had fallen asleep on the bed. Chandra had immediately gone to sleep when her head hit the pillow after a bath. She was curled around the bolster while snoring quietly, her arms and legs hugging the cylindrical pillow. Its faded Doraemon print was just freshly changed, a pillowcase that had withstood the test of time. A pillowcase that they both used to share. 

Kartika watched her older sibling’s shoulders gently rise and fall with her breath. How long has it been since they were last vulnerable with each other? She couldn't even remember. It seemed so long ago that it had felt like a melting relief, the tension in Kartika’s shoulders falling away, when Chandra had hugged her back. 

What deep heartbreak her sibling must’ve experienced to have cried the minute Kartika told her she wanted her to be comfortable at the wedding. It had caught Kartika off-guard when the first of Chandra's tears fell across her cheeks, and she worried she might have hurt her. Until her older sibling started laughing through her tears, saying that she would love to step in for their father.

Kartika still didn’t have the heart to ask Chandra about the source of her tears, but she could take a good guess. For now, it was enough that Chandra trusted her enough to be comforted by her. 

Kartika gently patted Chandra’s back and her older sibling hummed in her sleep. She smiled in response and quietly got up to walk out of her kos room, making sure to make no sound when she closed the door.

The balcony of the kos was empty tonight and the breeze was cooling on her skin. Kartika settled on the railing that had become her usual musing spot over time, where she had a view of the silhouette of the mountain. This was a small slice of comfort in the whirlwind her life had been these past couple of months. Organizing a wedding was something she hoped to do only once in her life. 

Biru Hutahaean

How did it go, Tik?

Elga Bilondatu

Did she accept?? 😳

Kartika smiled, leaning her arms on the railing to type out her response.

Kartika Sugandy

It went really well, Kak!

And yes, she accepted!! 😭

Elga Bilondatu

AAAAAWW YEEESSS

Biru Hutahaean

AAAA that's great, Tik!!!

Kartika Sugandy

Thank you so much for helping me :’)

I couldn’t have done it without you both!

Elga Bilondatu

Of course, luv! ❤️

Honestly, we were just really happy to see you two reunite

Me too, Kartika thought, smiling as she sent her sibling’s closest friends more of her gratitude and love. It was already a joy to see Chandra again, but seeing her accept the clothes and Kartika’s request to be a part of her wedding… that was a different sort of joy entirely. 

She almost wished she could step back in time and tell herself that she didn’t have to worry so much when she had opened the door the first time, welcoming her older sibling that was a familiar yet stranger-like figure in her doorway. 

Kartika’s phone vibrated and she glanced down to see who was calling. She smiled before accepting the call. “Yes?”

“How did she react?” Alvaro asked.

Kartika laughed, shifting her feet to a more comfortable position. “She was really shocked. I guess I might’ve come on too strong, but she said yes!”

“Oh, yess!” Alvaro whooped over the phone. “Ah, I’m so relieved! Did the jacket fit her too?”

“It did. Thank god she's still a similar size as me. The bèndo also fit her nicely.” The traditional Sunda head cloth had fit well on Chandra’s head. 

“Did you also tell her to take Kyra to the wedding?”

“I did.” Kartika grinned. “I hope she’ll actually consider doing it, it’s been a while since I saw Kyra.”

“I hope she’ll ask her too. I have yet to meet this mysterious old friend of Chandra’s.”

“Oh, I hope you’ll meet her! And I hope she’ll come so that she can see Kak Dra in the beskap jacket.” Kartika smiled. “It’s been such a long time since I saw Kak Dra happy like that. It was worth all the time fighting the relatives to let her wear it.”

“I’m honestly relieved they let her wear it too.”

“Yeah.” Kartika gently leaned her face into her phone, her smile still soft on her lips. “Thank you for helping me, Al. Really. I couldn’t have done it if you hadn’t been as enthusiastic about it as I was.” 

“I’m always happy to be enthusiastic about you and Chandra, Tik.” Kartika could hear the smile in his voice. “It was a huge relief for me too when my family agreed in the end.”

“I ran to mother-in-law with her favorite martabak as soon as you told me.”

Alvaro laughed. “I heard about that! My mom does like you a lot.”

Kartika grinned. “I’m glad I brought her the right kind then, to stay in her good favor. She was still a little hesitant to be whole-hearted about it, but I could tell she had softened up a lot.”

“Yeah, I’ll admit, she was a little stubborn in the beginning. But she saw how important it was for you.”

“Do you think...” Kartika hesitated.

“Do I think...?” Alvaro encouraged her.

“Do you think they would’ve relented, if it wasn’t because I wanted Kak Dra to step in for dad?”

“Hmm.” Alvaro paused, seemingly taking the time to consider his answer. “I don’t know. They weren’t too keen on it, to be honest. They were worried about how it would affect the whole family and stuff. But I think, so long as our intention is to do good and we make sure the outcome goes well, that can overcome everything else.”

“Hmm.” Kartika smiled. “I sure hope so. I do hope that it’ll all be well in the end. I was worried how it might affect Kak Dra if anyone started saying hateful things. I’ve troubled her enough as it is.”

“She doesn’t hate you, y’know, Tik.”

“I know.” Kartika traced the surface of the metal railing beneath her fingers. “I think I can finally see that now.”

“She actually seems to worry about what you think of her.”

“Ah, I’m the one who’s worrying, honestly. I just… I really don’t want to lose her again.”

“I know.” Alvaro’s voice was soft. “But I have a feeling that you won’t. At least with how things are between the both of you now. You guys care for each other a lot.”

“Just like how your brothers care for you?” Kartika teased.

“Oh god, no.” Kartika could practically hear him rolling his eyes. 

She laughed. “They love you, Al.”

“I know, I know.”

“Kak Dra seems to like you though, which is a relief.”

Alvaro playfully snorted. “When did she not like me, Tik?”

Kartika grinned. “Ah, your ego will be the death of you, you know.”

“And I suppose that’s when you’ll come find me in the afterlife?” 

“Ha! Only if you prove yourself worthy.”

“Fair enough,” Alvaro laughed, a sound that settled in Kartika’s heart and brought her peace. “Get some sleep, Tik. I’ll call you again tomorrow. Spend lots of time with your big sib while she’s here.”

Kartika smiled. “I will. G’night, Al.”

Her older sibling hadn’t moved from her previous sleeping position when Kartika quietly opened the door and stepped inside. Chandra was still curled up around the bolster with the Doraemon print, sleep settling deeply into the lines of her face.

Kartika silently placed her phone on the table and climbed into bed, gently snuggling up against her older sibling’s back in the reassurance that Chandra was still there.