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Are was tired.
Today was supposed to be her another peaceful day. But unexpectedly, her fellows prosecutors gave gifts because today was her birthday. Ah, she was forgot (or was supposed to forget) about it. Glancing at the paper bags on both of her hands, she was about to give them back to her friends but she remembered when the first time they tried to celebrate her birthday back then. But she refused it and gave the gifts back to them. Trying to accept their gifts now isn't a bad idea, she guessed. But she was still refusing the celebration because she needed to go to the hospital. Her mom was there and she wanted to spend this day with her mom.
—And it made her tired.
Seeing her mom's blank stare for an hour and trying to have a two-sided conversation with her but it became one-sided like usual. At the end of the day, she just sat silently on her usual chair, watching her beloved mom said nothing and didn't even notice her existence.
Are was tired.
She wanted to scream, wanted to cry right now. But she couldn't.
"Re."
A man opened the door in front of her. Are glanced at that man before a sudden realization that she was standing at her house's front door all the time. Ah, she was drowned on her mind again. "What's wrong? Why don't you come in?" that man asked.
It has been a year she knew this man; Ari Wijaya Kusuma. He used to be a prisoner a year ago, was accused of murder just for collecting information about drug dealer on the prison he was imprisoned. Ah, forget to mention that he once a wanted man for escaping from the prison to seek revenge for his best friend's murder.
Stupid? Of course. Nobody ever have a thought to do revenge by doing a killing act and become the murder itself. But after some events and new evidences, the judges decided to mitigate his punishment, from imprisonment for eight years to house arresting for one year and four months. Thanks to his good behavior when he was in prison.
And it led him to be the second resident in her house. Her involvements for Ari's case made her had to be his caretaker. Argh, why it has to be her?
"... I'm just tired," she replied Ari's question seven seconds later.
"Ah...." Ari nodded. He took a glance at the paper bags on Are's hand. "Those look heavy. Let me bring it." Ari smiled as he took the bags from Are's hand. She let him. "Let's come in."
But her body didn't move an inch, making Ari quirked his eyebrows. "Are? You aren't sick, are you? Wait. Let me guess." He suddenly smiled and propped his chin. Are said nothing and just stared at one of that man's antics. He didn't usually doing this thing for free. He always looks cool and calm, like her (her mask—exactly). But seeing him like this, maybe, wasn't a bad idea. It was funny, and cute at the same time.
"You are ... hungry, aren't you?" he tried to guess. But Are shook her head at his first attempt.
"Your legs got stiffen so you can't move from your place now?" Are gave him a thinking face before shaking her head again.
"So why?" Ari's voice sounded a bit frustrating. Are almost smiled a bit. "Are you suddenly happened to see a ghost here so you can't move—"
"—I'm seeing a clown behind your back right now."
"—Where?!" Ari suddenly ran and hugged Are with a shock expression on his face.
Are laughed happily seeing that man's action. He said a forbidden word to her, so she just did the same. And the result was ridiculous as always.
(Or was it really that ridiculous for all the times?)
"... Finally, you laugh," Ari said a minute later, stopping Are's laughter.
"... Yeah. But I said the truth. I'm seeing the clo—"
"Don't mention it!"
Are smiled, seeing Ari's reaction who was still scared to the lie she said. She never laugh as happy as this. Or maybe as happy as the moment this man came to her life. She's always wearing a cold mask, covering her true emotions, and making everyone thought that she's strong.
No.
She wasn't strong just like everyone thought. She was pretending to be strong.
Every night she cried about her mom condition, but at the day, she had to be a firm prosecutor on the trial. It made her tired. It made her crazy. Until this man came and acted like a cheerful guy, like her true personality. She hated him at first because he looked like the young version of herself. But after she knew his true self, maybe he was just like her; seeing himself on her. It was kinda funny, but also sad. After Ari's punishment was mitigated, they agreed to show their true self.
And this is how she ended up: Are's firm prosecutor's image was gone, at least, in front of Ari. She was happy this man's here, hugging her tightly as if he didn't want to let her go. She was happy this man's here, greeting her after she was back from work. She was happy this man's here, showing his antics so that she could laugh happily. She was happy this man's here and she hoped that he wouldn't gone from her side.
"Hey," Are called, circling her arms around Ari's back.
"Mhm?"
"I'm hungry."
"There's a bowl of chicken soup in the dining table."
"My legs got stiffen."
"You want to be carried like a princess?"
"Nah. Like a boss."
"Are you happened to see ghost too?"
"Nope. It's clown."
"You don't get the dinner."
Are laughed happier than before.
Ari just smiled and loosened his hug so he could stare at that woman's happy face. "So, do you want to come in and eat that chicken soup or stay and argue with me here?"
Are's laugh turned into a genuine smile. "How about you carry me to the dining room so I can eat the chicken soup and argue with you at the same time?"
Ari's smile widened.
"Deal, then."
After several silence birthdays she spent alone, maybe this one will be the beginning of Are's happiest birthday. And Are will try to not forgetting her birthday again. Not ever.