9:15 p.m. Western Indonesian Time. The rain had just stopped. Luna sat in front of the small desk in the corner of her room. Her hair was still slightly damp after her shower. In front of her was a glass of water she still hadn't touched. That day hadn't really been much different from the days before it. Work. Go home. Take care of a few necessities. Reply to messages. Then try to rest. But that night, her phone wouldn't stop chiming. Ding. One message came in. Then another followed. Luna picked up her phone. Sibling: Sis, can you transfer money tomorrow for the thing we needed the other day? Luna typed: Luna: I can. I'll try to send it tomorrow. Before she could even put her phone down, another message came in. Friend: Lun, can I tell you something? Luna gave a small smile. Luna: Sure. What's wrong? Her friend began to tell her everything. About work. About her relationship with her family. About someone who had disappointed her. Luna read it all. She didn't interrupt. She didn't rush to offer advice. She simply listened. Every now and then, she typed a few sentences to comfort her. "You don't always have to be strong." "If you're really tired, rest for a while." "Don't blame yourself too much." Words that came so easily to her when she gave them to other people. Yet strangely... when she had to say those same words to herself, Luna never knew how.
9:47 p.m. Western Indonesian Time. Her friend was still talking. Luna was starting to yawn. Her eyes felt heavy. But she didn't want to cut the conversation short. Until finally, a message came in. Friend: Thanks, Lun. I feel a lot calmer after talking to you. Luna smiled. Luna: You're welcome. Get some rest, okay? Friend: You too. Don't wear yourself out. Luna stopped typing. She stared at the words for a few seconds. Then she smiled faintly. Luna: Yeah. She put her phone down. Silence filled the room again. Luna leaned back in her chair. Suddenly, she felt like it was funny. All day long, she could be the place where other people set down all their grievances. But when she herself was full to the brim... she didn't even know where to put them.
Her phone vibrated again. This time, it was a message from her sibling. Sibling: Sis, I'm sorry for asking you for help so often. Luna read the message. She replied right away. Luna: It's okay. Three words. Simple. But after the message was sent, Luna fell silent. She knew her sibling wasn't at fault. She also didn't want to make them feel like a burden. Luna was actually glad she could help. The problem wasn't helping. The problem was... she never knew when to stop. Since high school, Luna had been used to taking care of herself. When she needed something, she tried to get it herself. When she wanted to buy something, she saved up for it herself. When she had a need, she found a way herself. Over time, everyone came to believe Luna could handle anything. And maybe... Luna herself was the one who made them believe she could always handle anything. Because every time someone asked: "Can you?" She always answered: "I can."
10:10 p.m. Western Indonesian Time. Luna stood and got herself some water. When she sat back down, her eyes fell on an old conversation. The name of someone she hadn't contacted in several months. She opened the chat. There were no new messages. Only the last one. "If anything's wrong, tell me, okay, Lun." Luna smiled. Her fingers started typing. "I'm really tired." She stared at the words. For a few seconds. Then deleted them. She typed again. "Are you busy?" Deleted it again. In the end, Luna locked her phone. Never mind. Maybe that person had problems of their own. Maybe they were busy. Maybe they didn't want to hear her complaints. Or maybe... Luna was simply too used to solving everything on her own.
She stood. Picked up her prayer garment. But before she could leave, she sat down again. Her head felt full. For the first time that night, Luna admitted something she had always kept hidden. Not to anyone else. Not even to her family. But to herself. “I'm tired.” The words came out so softly. Almost like a whisper. Luna lowered her head. “I'm so tired.” Her eyes began to glisten. But she didn't cry. Whether because she had held it in too many times. Or because she herself no longer knew how to cry for her own sake. She drew a breath. Then gave a small smile. “I'll be able to do it tomorrow, too.” That was how Luna comforted herself. Not by telling herself that everything would be easy. But by convincing herself that she would keep holding on.
10:35 p.m. Western Indonesian Time. Luna performed wudu. She stood on her prayer mat. That night, her prayer was longer than usual. It wasn't about money. It wasn't about work. It wasn't about asking for a perfect life. She only said: “O Allah…” Her voice trembled. “If I really have to be strong, please don't let me drift away from You.” Her tears fell. “If I have to help many people, don't let me forget that I'm also Your servant.” She drew a breath. “And if one day I truly can't be strong anymore…” Luna stopped. There was one sentence that was incredibly difficult for her to say. “…please send someone who can remind me to return to You.” Luna lowered her head. She didn't know why that prayer had come out that night. Maybe it was simply because her heart was too full. Maybe because she was feeling lonely. Or maybe... there was something Allah was preparing without her ever knowing.
Several kilometers from where Luna was... a man was still awake, too. Lana sat alone in his room. His phone was in his hand. He looked at his bank balance. Added up this month's expenses again. Then let out a sigh. Tomorrow was already waiting. There was work. There were household expenses. There were younger siblings who still needed his help. And as usual... Lana would say to himself again: "I can." Two people. Two rooms. Two lives. Two different wounds. But that night... both of them were feeling almost the same thing. Both exhausted. Both lonely. And neither of them knew yet... that before long, Allah would bring them together in a place they had never even planned to be. An app that still lay silent on both their phones. RandomChat. And a conversation that initially meant nothing at all... would become the beginning of a story that would one day change both their lives. —To be continued—