love and work

---

That day, Indah had just finished a round of interviews when her phone vibrated in the pocket of her blazer. A message from her boss popped up:

> "Indah, there's an important assignment for you. We need you to cover the launch of a new film in Kalimantan. It's a big project; many national media outlets will be there too. The fee is above average. You're interested, right?"

Indah read the message several times.

Kalimantan.

A place she had long avoided, at least in her mind, because of one name: Bagus.

But she took a deep breath. This was a major opportunity in her journalism career. Work was the best escape she had right now.

> "I accept, Sir," Indah replied firmly.

A few hours later, she received the event rundown, and one film title immediately caught her eye:

"One Trillion for Love"

Indah froze.

Her beautiful eyes widened slowly.

That title.

It wasn't just familiar—it felt like it belonged to her, a piece of her deepest past.

The title was exactly the same as the novel Bagus had written, a story born from their love, one he had secretly dedicated to her just a year ago.

Indah's hands trembled as she held her phone. Fear and curiosity clashed inside her, twisting into one.

Her heart beat faster than usual.

> "Could it be...? No way... Or... is it really Bagus?"

The swirl of emotions nearly made Indah want to turn down the assignment. But her professionalism as a journalist held her back.

That night, Indah stared out her bedroom window, watching the dim city lights of Jakarta.

Inside her, a great tide of memories began to rise, ready to drag her back into the vortex of feelings she had tried so hard to drown.

> "If this really is Bagus's work... am I ready to meet him again?"

But perhaps, destiny never asks whether someone is ready or not.

The next day, with a small suitcase in hand and a heavy heart, Indah set off for Kalimantan—heading into a journey that might reunite her with her past... and a love that had never truly faded.

---

On the way to Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Indah sat in the back seat of an online taxi. Her eyes kept staring out the window, but her mind was in turmoil. Amidst the bustling Jakarta traffic, she felt her thoughts were noisier than the blaring car horns around her.

To distract herself from her anxiety, Indah opened her phone. She launched a social media app, trying to find some entertainment to kill time. Her fingers scrolled through the feed, passing posts about food, vacations, and motivational quotes.

Until suddenly, a live stream popped up on her homepage.

An account named "Mister Faceless" was live. The title of the live broadcast caught Indah's attention:

> "Behind the Story of 'One Trillion for Love' — A True Struggle."

Indah widened her eyes.

"One Trillion for Love"?

That was the title of the movie she was about to cover!

With her heart pounding hard, Indah tapped the live stream icon.

The video showed a man sitting in front of the camera, wearing a black mask that only covered the area around his eyes. His voice sounded deep yet warm. No names were mentioned, only a voice — only a mysterious figure speaking about struggles, love, and dreams that had to be buried for the sake of pride.

> "I once made a promise to gather one trillion for true love... But in the end, the harder part was losing that person along the way," said Mister Faceless in a bittersweet tone.

Indah bit her lower lip.

That voice...

That way of speaking...

Those choice of words...

It all felt so much like Bagus.

Yet Indah held herself back. She knew longing could trick the mind. She was afraid to assume, afraid to hope for something that might only be an illusion.

> "Don't be foolish, Indah... It could be someone else... Many writers have dramatic stories," she told herself inwardly.

But when Mister Faceless lowered his head and gave a slight, bitter yet sincere smile behind the mask — Indah felt the world around her freeze.

That was Bagus's smile.

Only he smiled like that.

Her hand holding the phone began to tremble. Tears almost fell without her realizing it.

> "Bagus... you're still here, aren't you?"

But Indah quickly wiped away her tears. She couldn't allow herself to be swept away. She still had to get to the airport, still had to work professionally.

With trembling hands, she closed the live stream and took a deep breath.

Inside her, the feelings roared even louder: fear, hope, and longing all mixing into one.

---

Like an invisible magnet, something kept pulling Indah's heart toward Bagus.

Her mind kept spinning, asking endlessly — "Is this a sign that Bagus and I were destined to meet again? Or is it just an illusion, an empty hope that will only hurt in the end?"

Indah sighed softly, trying to calm her wildly beating heart.

When the taxi stopped at the drop-off area of Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Indah stepped out with a small suitcase in hand. She walked toward the departure terminal, struggling to keep her emotions in check.

After checking in and passing through security, she sat down in the waiting area.

A faint announcement echoed, mentioning that boarding would begin in about half an hour.

A short time, really, but for Indah, it felt like a long and empty silence.

She opened her phone again, scrolling through her social media feed. Her fingers itched to type something, to pour out her heart. But once again, she hesitated.

On the screen, the account "Queens Nuansa" — a fake account she had created — was still open.

A few hours earlier, she had left a small comment on Mister Faceless's live stream:

"Your story is touching. Keep creating, even without a visible face, your heart has already spoken."

It was a simple comment, yet somehow it felt like she had sent a piece of her soul through it.

And, stranger still, Mister Faceless had replied with just one sentence:

> "Thank you, my queen in the shadows."

Indah closed her eyes.

My queen in the shadows.

Those words felt so personal... so distinct... as if the person behind the mask knew exactly who she was.

Once again, her mind rebelled:

Was this just a coincidence? Or did Bagus somehow know she was there? Or maybe... he was also still waiting for her, just like she had been quietly waiting for him?

Indah looked around the now-bustling airport.

Everyone else was busy with their own matters, rushing toward their destinations. But her?

She was adrift in a much heavier journey — a journey of the heart, far more exhausting than the physical trip to Kalimantan.

> "God... if this is truly the right path, please guide me. But if this will only hurt me more... please give me the strength to let go," Indah prayed silently.

The boarding call echoed.

Indah tightened her grip on the small suitcase, took a deep breath, and stepped firmly toward the gate.

Whatever awaited her in Kalimantan — a reunion, a miracle, or perhaps a fresh heartbreak — she knew she could no longer run away.

She had to face it all.

Along with the memories.

Along with the longing.

And maybe, along with the love that still remained.

---