An Improper Combination

In the end, my imaginary engagement was canceled, marked by my postponed leave for an indefinite time. Mr. Hardi smiled in satisfaction, and Damar looked enthusiastic, even asking me to finish my work before we left.

Everyone was happy with my decision. Even I felt relieved, but I chose not to show it—admitting it would only embarrass me. Mr. Hardi and Damar would know I was lying if I seemed too eager.

Would an engagement ever be canceled this easily in real life? I doubt it, but my two bosses didn't seem to care. For them, what mattered was that my leave was canceled. They didn't even ask about my engagement anymore. Even though it was all just an act, I still had to pretend to be upset and not reveal that everything I had said before was a lie.

I had to look like someone burdened with a heavy problem.

"Why aren't you done yet? You've been sighing and staring blankly at your screen," a voice from behind me made me turn abruptly.

"It's almost lunchtime, but you haven't even finished half of it," the man continued. I held my breath, trying to control my irritation, which had started to rise. I had been deliberately working in slow motion to add drama to my fabricated story. But this man seemed extremely annoyed.

"I'll get it done quickly," I finally said, holding myself back from snapping at him. That was enough—I didn't need to act anymore just because my leave had been canceled.

I finished my work just as lunchtime arrived. I grabbed my phone, intending to head down and find something to eat.

"Are you done?" someone asked, making me jump. I had no idea Damar had been waiting, sitting right behind me.

"Uh… yeah," I answered awkwardly, still startled. Why had he been waiting for me all this time? Didn't he have work to do?

"Let me check first," he said, getting up and standing right next to me. I wanted to move aside and give him my seat, but I couldn't—he had me trapped in place with his posture.

Leaning slightly, Damar scrutinized the work I had just finished. I didn't dare look up because I would end up staring straight at his face, so I stole glances from the corner of my eye instead.

His expression was serious, one hand gripping the computer mouse while the other rested in his pocket. I felt completely stuck—breathing even seemed difficult.

He was too close. His body was practically touching my chair. He should've been checking this at his own desk. His stance only made me more uncomfortable.

"Check this part again," he pointed at the screen. My eyes widened as I searched for the mistake he had found. I nodded and quickly corrected it.

I felt unbearably warm, even though the air conditioning was working fine. And it was all because of him. He was the reason I couldn't breathe properly, the reason my body temperature suddenly rose.

"Okay," he finally said after a moment. But his words didn't bring me any relief—he was still standing there, keeping me trapped at my desk. If it had been Mas Geri or any other coworker, I would've immediately pushed them away and, if necessary, pinched them in irritation. But there was no way I could do that to this rigid man, who also happened to be my superior. He might even ask Mr. Hardi to fire me for being disrespectful.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked, frowning.

Waiting for what?

"Let's have lunch," he added, sounding almost like an order.

Why was he suddenly inviting me to lunch? Didn't Doni usually buy lunch for him?

His words made me turn to him—damn! I forgot how close he was, and my face almost brushed against his arm, which was resting on my chair.

"You go ahead," I declined, hoping he would step aside so I could get up.

"But you haven't eaten yet, right?" he asked.

"Ah… well, I have something to finish first," I made an excuse.

"Your leave?" he guessed.

"That's already settled," I replied.

"Really settled?" He repeated my words as a question. His curiosity was ridiculously high—he always wanted to know everything about me.

"Yeah, something like that," I answered reluctantly.

"I don't think it's really settled," he said, acting as if he knew better.

"I canceled the arranged marriage, so the engagement is off too," I said. I really didn't want to keep up this charade anymore. Hopefully, this was the last time.

"What about your family?" he asked. I looked up and found his face serious.

"Not great, but whatever… Let's just eat," I finally said, running out of things to say. The more lies I told, the harder things would get for me. Accepting his lunch invitation was better than having him pry into my fake engagement.

After hearing my response, Damar finally stepped aside, letting me leave my desk—something he should've done earlier. Even though it was strange that he suddenly wanted to have lunch with me, I chose not to dwell on it.

We entered the elevator in silence. Neither of us spoke. I wasn't really thinking about anything important—just what I wanted for lunch. After the drama I had endured all morning, I was starving.

"What do you want to eat?" he suddenly asked.

"Anything, as long as it's filling," I answered, still undecided.

Usually, I preferred eating lunch alone while Damar stayed in the office. Sometimes, I ate with my coworkers, but Damar would still have his lunch in the pantry, brought by Doni. He rarely interacted with the employees unless it was work-related. To me, he was a bit rigid and distant.

"Oh, let's eat across the office. A new Padang restaurant just opened. The guys said the food is good," I suggested, remembering something. Just imagining steaming rice, richly spiced dishes, and spicy sauce made my stomach growl. But then I realized—what if he didn't like the same food as me?

"Where?" Damar asked.

"Across the office," I repeated.

"Alright," he agreed briefly. Whether he was interested or not, I pretended not to care. Right now, I just wanted Padang food.

Since the street in front of the office was packed with traffic at midday, Damar suggested we cross using the pedestrian bridge. Honestly, I was reluctant—it would make our walk longer, and the sun was scorching.

"It's too hot, and using the bridge is too far," I refused. Surprisingly, Damar didn't argue and just went along with my choice. That was unusual—he was usually so stubborn.

The heat and the roar of vehicles made me eager to reach the restaurant quickly. Growing impatient as Damar hesitated to cross, I stepped forward on my own.

"Wait, Bulan!" Damar shouted, grabbing my arm and pulling me back just as a speeding motorcycle almost hit me. His strong grip sent me stumbling—straight into his embrace.

The scorching midday heat, the deafening traffic, and the scent of Damar's cologne that filled my senses…

Such an improper combination.(*)