Rindi cursed herself now, with no Nana around. She was just sitting there like a statue. Earlier, she went with Stefano to Jay's new apartment. It turned out that the direction to Jay's new apartment passed by Rindi's dorm. Stefano's place was close to Rindi's dorm, too, so Jay asked for help to pick up Rindi along the way. There were already many guests, even though they were only Jay's close friends. Rindi was now awkwardly scanning the room; she forgot she was the only stranger.

Jay approached Rindi and handed her a bottle of mineral water. Rindi looked up and then smiled.

"This is from Stefano. I forgot we're different," Jay smiled, looking at Rindi. With hesitation, Rindi accepted the mineral water from Jay.

"Sorry, I should've remembered that you're different from us. I know you can eat chicken, but I don't know how you like it cooked," Jay explained, pointing to the fried chicken on the dining table.

Rindi followed Jay's gesture and then smiled, patting Jay's shoulder gently.

"It's okay, and besides, just being invited to an important person's event like yours makes me feel lucky. This mineral water is more than enough for me," Rindi replied, still smiling.

Rindi's words were actual; being invited to this housewarming event made her happy. She was just an ordinary student fortunate to have friends in South Korea.

Time passed quickly, and Rindi's phone alarm rang. Rindi promptly turned off the alarm before it disturbed anyone. Sitting next to her without uttering a word, Stefano glanced at Rindi.

"Leaving already? Let me take you," Stefano said, then went back to busy himself with putting fruit into his mouth.

Rindi turned to Stefano and nodded hesitantly.

"I'll tell Jay first," Stefano said, getting up and walking towards Jay, who was busy chatting and joking with other friends. Rindi saw Stefano whisper something to Jay, and then she heard a teasing voice from Victor, making Stefano's face turn red.

In the car, like when picking up Rindi earlier, Stefano was mainly silent. He seemed like a mute person when he was next to Rindi, but when Stefano was with his friends, especially Victor, he was lively and talkative. Rindi looked at her phone again, thinking for a moment. Her hand reflexively counted something. Rindi was feeling anxious now, and Stefano could sense it. He glanced at Rindi.

"Why?" Stefano asked.

Rindi turned to Stefano and then shook her head.

"Then why are you so restless? Is something bothering you?" Stefano asked again.

Rindi remained silent, just looking at him. She hesitated to express her worries to Stefano. She feared Fano would feel uncomfortable with what she was worried about now.

***

Rindi was preparing the things she needed for her part-time job. Rindi managed to get a freelance career as an online translator; luckily, Rindi was an intelligent student, and finding a job that matched her skills was not difficult.

Rindi opened her laptop, checked her email, and opened the material that needed translation. Rindi smiled satisfactorily because the material she had to solve was something she enjoyed.

For almost an hour, she struggled with her laptop and squeezed her brain hard. Rindi's phone ringing startled her, and she reflexively held her chest.

"Haish... who could it be?" Rindi said, then answered the phone without looking at the displayed name. She greeted as if she were answering a call from her aunt or uncle because, so far, only they or Nana often contacted her by phone.

"What are you talking about?" a familiar voice sounded.

Rindi moved her phone away and read the name on her screen.

"Fano_ssi, I'm sorry; I didn't see whose call it was. Where did you get my number?" Rindi replied, asking Stefano.

"Are you busy? I'm in front of your dorm now," Stefano said, and Rindi widened her eyes in disbelief.

"If you're not busy, come out for a moment," Stefano continued, ending the call abruptly.

Rindi frowned in disbelief now.

Rindi became even more disbelieving when Fano left her standing upright in front of the dorm. Stefano only came to deliver the groceries that Stefano personally bought. Stefano even bought the groceries from Asian Mart and all the food items with the halal logo. Rindi looked at the plastic bag with the Asian Mart logo, furrowing her brow.

"This is my apology on behalf of Jay Hyung; he might forget that you can't eat food like at that housewarming party. I guarantee everything here is halal," Stefano explained again.

Stefano's words from earlier were still vivid in Rindi's mind. How could Stefano know that halal products were abundant at Asian Mart? Rindi smiled to herself while entering her dorm.

3 hours earlier

Victor glanced at Jay, who was busy with his phone. He then quickly grabbed Jintae's phone and read Jay's message to Rindi.

"Hyung? Do you like that Indonesian girl?" Victor asked, making all the occupants in Jay's living room look at Victor and Jay.

Stefano even coughed on his own as if someone accidentally choked him.

"Don't be ridiculous, Vic. I just apologised to her, and for your information, her name is Rindi, not the Indonesian girl," Jay explained, then snatched his phone back.

Stefano got a nudge from Namsuya while listening to Jay's explanation to Victor.

"It seems like it's not Jay Hyung who likes that girl," Namsuya whispered to Stefano, who was completely confused.

Stefano raised his eyebrows in confusion; he had no idea what Namjsuya was trying to say to him right now. Namsuya giggled quietly, seeing Stefano annoyed.

"Is she a Muslim? No wonder she didn't touch any food here that day," Victor, who had read Jintae's message to Rindi, said.

Jay nodded in agreement, and then Stefano, sitting there silently, finally nodded understandingly. Namsuya chuckled softly, seeing Stefano's confused expression.

"Hyung, she's busy? I'm in front of her dorm now," Stefano said, abruptly ending the call.

Rindi counted hours to herself now. She was feeling anxious. Stefano could feel it, and he glanced at Rindi.

"Why?" Stefano asked.

Rindi turned to Stefano and shook her head.

"Then why are you so restless? Is something bothering you?" Stefano asked again.

Rindi remained silent, just looking at him. She hesitated to express her worries to Stefano. She feared Fano would feel uncomfortable with what she was worried about now.

***