Pertembungan dua dunia, jantina dan cita-cita.
Perempuan berakal satu? Keputusan dibuat selalu melulu. Tiada istilah gadis berhati batu. Gersang emosi dirawat rayu. Ketikan jari tiba-tiba melaju.
Dana Dian layu.
Lelaki akalnya sembilan? Kerenah gega...
"So you are my new neighbour..." Ayat itu diucapnya seperti mengeluh, tak memberi komen pada kenyataanku. "The owner of the Bezza parked next to my car. I've wondered for a while."
"Surprise, surprise!" balasku dengan keriangan yang berpura-pura sebelum riak wajahku bertukar dingin semula. "Now that you know, can you leave now?"
"Did you move in here to stalk me?" tanya Haden, masih mengabaikan kata-kataku padanya. Sangat menjengkelkan. Lain ditanya, lain dijawab.
Aku tertawa mengejek. "Wow, wow. Just because we met a few times under a few unfortunate incidents, they don't mean I stalk you. Don't flatter yourself like that."
Tak semena-mena Haden tertawa besar sampai bertambah kerutan di wajahku. "Touché!" katanya sebelum menyambung ketawa. Selepas meraup wajahnya sekilas, dia menambah, "Bukan apa. Selalunya potential tenants would dash out the second they look in. Nobody bothers to pay a hefty for this..." Mata Haden menyorot segenap ruang apartmenku. "...place."
"What's wrong with this place?" soalku. Ada entiti asing ke dalam rumah ni?
"No, don't get me wrong! Nothing's wrong with this place. Just I was told, you can pay the same amount and get a better furnished apartment elsewhere. Something like your former place where we first met..."
Apabila perkara itu diungkit begitu, aku terasa darah menyerbu ke wajah kerana teringatkan memori kami di apartmen lamaku. Haden pun terdiam sejenak, seolah terfikirkan benda yang sama. Aku terus mengalih pandangan dan bermain dengan hujung kuku.
"So... you like them short and black huh?" tanya Haden tiba-tiba.
Mataku naik membuntang, bertentang semula dengan mata Haden yang terkilas nakal. Lelaki memang suka bersembang macam ni ke? Haden atau Encik Khairi, dua-dua sama! Menyampahnya!
"Are men really this shallow? Always be making stupid, sexual remarks like that? So disrespectful to women!" marahku.
"What..." Haden tertawa kecil. "I was talking about your burnt sausages."
"We know you didn't," getusku dan Haden tertawa lagi. Tak faham aku dengan heroga ni.
"Okay, let's say you're correct; to answer your question, I don't know about other men. But for me specifically, I admit that I enjoy doing this to you."
"Do what?" balasku.
"Annoy you," jawab Haden bersahaja, semudah menjawab apakah makanan kegemarannya. Aku tak tahu apa yang lebih menjengkelkan; kejujuran atau kelancangannya. "You just have this... special expression on your face when I say something that annoys you. I kinda dig it."
Aku terdiam. Kalau tadi aku rasa jengkel, sekarang aku rasa... kekok? Mainan emosi apa ni?
Wajah Haden juga berubah rona sedikit jika tak salah pengamatanku. "I mean... we can both establish it now that you are special, because you accepted this apartment when no one else would."
Aku masih diam, hanya memandangnya seakan tak percaya dengan apa yang baru dituturnya.
"So that makes you a cool neighbor to have!" Haden menambah. "I'm actually relieved that I have a neighbor now. At first I wanted all of the space and privacy, but after a while, it did get pretty lonely without another soul to connect with."
"Is that why you do what you do? To connect with another soul?" tanyaku, merasakan ia kesempatan yang baik untuk aku mengorek kisah heroga di depan mataku. Dinding pemisah yang aku rasa sudah roboh beberapa saat tadi kembali terbina.
"I bet you're hungry?" Haden tak menjawab, malah berdiri dan meletakkan semula kerusi plastik itu di tempat asalnya. "I have some leftover. You want me to bring it here or you want to come over to my place?"
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