Tricks for a Heart [mlm]

Chapter 25

I don't know if whatever I've done is enough. But I can't keep going on about the same thing.

It seems like time has moved Luqman forward, and that's a great thing. He may be happy, in glee, surrounded with the people that mattered to him. He may have found love again, and I hope whatever we faced made him even a better person for whoever he's with now. I smile thinking about his new lover, who will tuck Luqman in their chest next, deep in the ecstasy of watching him fall asleep close to their side.

I wonder what Luqman looks like now, though. Is he getting more ripped? From the shrunk Instagram posts, he looks like he's lost some weight. I hope it's intentional and not out of anything bad. Only Shafiq has last seen him in their futsal or rugby games whenever Luqman is back onshore. I've missed several Sejati gatherings, but Ikhwan tells me that Luqman hasn't attended any since what happened last year.

"You alright?" Shafiq eyes me warily. We're in our favorite spot in the office food court again, Shafiq slurping his noodle soup, excited about the upcoming New Year's break. Accounts are closed, the mountainous tasks are being completed, and going to work is a little of a breeze recently. A lot of reasons to lay back and relax for a while.

I nod. "I'm . . . good. Did I zone out?"

"Kind of."

"Nothing much." I go on and finish the remaining rice on my plate. "Aren't you supposed to tell me something?"

"What?" Shafiq says, wide-eyed like he just remembered something. "Oh, yeah! So . . . here's the thing. I-well, don't you ever say anything to anyone, but-uh . . . I was thinking about proposing to Elena."

"Oh my God!" I squeal. "Ohmyohmyohmy-"

"See?" Shafiq groans. "If you keep acting like this, you'll surely blow the cover."

"Oh no, I really wish you hadn't told me, though!" I say. "You know I've never kept any secrets from her! Shutting up will definitely kill me."

"I wouldn't even tell you if I didn't need your help, Adam." Shafiq takes a sip of a drink while my mind runs through all the possible wedding dresses that Elena could be wearing in my head. She will look like a majestic fucking Disney princess and I'll be there for it. "So . . . I thought of doing it this weekend-"

"This weekend?" I exclaim in shock. "So soon?"

"Yes, Adam Iman . . . it has to be soon to give you less room from breaking this to her."

"You asshole," I say.

"Since it's soon, I need your help to make bookings somewhere like . . . uh, an indoor stadium? Like a futsal court, but not the one we usually go to," Shafiq explains. "It needs to have space for food and drinks and snacks . . . because I was thinking of inviting a few people there for a little makan-makan, you know?"

"So . . . you want to have a mini dinner party . . . at a futsal court? Isn't that the strangest thing?" I tell him.

"Well, Adam . . . forget how I first met her?"

Then it clicks in my mind. How Shafiq first met Elena is actually how I first reunited with him after having heard from him since school. The idea makes my stomach fuzzy, especially that means Shafiq does have a romantic bone in his body.

"Such a sweet guy!" I whine. "I'll hate Elena after this. I don't care if we've sworn with blood to be eternal besties, but if she marries you, she'll commit two crimes against me!"

"That's . . . specific?" Shafiq stares at me.

"First, she will steal my precious housemate, or my husband in another life where he's made to like men," I tell him. "And . . . she'll break a promise! We promised each other to be singletons forever so we can rot and die together in an eldercare!"