Weeks passed. Every afternoon, that little café became the place Dirgantara looked forward to most. There, with Senja, he felt calm and at peace—a feeling he had never found in any grand building or lavish party.
One day, the café was empty. It was just the two of them. Senja was tidying the tables as she spoke softly. “I actually love the late afternoon. The sky turns beautiful colors, and it feels as though all the day’s exhaustion slowly fades away on the wind.”
Dirgantara gazed intently at her. “Just like your name. Senja—the twilight that brings peace.”
Senja stopped moving. She slowly turned toward him, her face slightly flushed, though her eyes remained calm. “Thank you. No one has ever said that to me before.”
“Because it’s the truth,” Dirgantara replied sincerely. “You bring peace, Senja. To everyone who knows you.”
Silence settled over them for a moment. But it wasn’t an awkward silence. It was a warm silence, where two hearts were beginning to understand one another without needing many words. Senja offered a faint smile, then slowly lowered her head to hide the sudden, rapid pounding of her heart. From that moment on, something between them changed. Their glances, greetings, and smiles—all of it felt closer, more meaningful.