The next day, while Ardo and Tomi were out looking for food.  Once again, Ardo’s mom called her second son and launched into a long-winded monologue. She talked about their neighbors, Ardo's siblings, and, of course, about how Ardo was no longer young and should get married soon so his parents could have peace of mind.
“Indra said you’re feeling down, right? Take this time to rest. Do you want Mama to find you a wife, Do? Aldo is getting married. Don’t you want to get married too, dear?” his mom tried to comfort him.
The man was in a family restaurant looking for something to eat. When his mother brought up Revaldo Aditya, aka Aldo, aka the annoyingly cocky journalist, the topic of marriage made Virardo Nugraha smirk cynically.
“It’s 2023, Mom. Getting married in your twenties is considered old-fashioned here,” Ardo retorted.
“You’re my son, you have to listen to what Mama says.”
“Yeah, yeah, later,” Ardo grumbled.
This Manado-Javanese man had never planned to get married in his twenties because he still felt free and wasn’t ready for the commitment of marriage. He and Aldo were in different situations—Aldo had Giska, who needed to be tied down with marriage to keep her from running off. Meanwhile, Ardo hadn’t met a woman who made him want to stop searching.
“Alright, dear. Just don’t go killing yourself, okay?” his mom teased before ending the call.
Ardo then flipped his phone over after turning off the internet connection. Not long after, Tomi came back with a wide smile, having taken a while since he had to go to the restroom.
“Who were you talking to, monkey? Your mom?” Tomi asked.
“My mom was nagging. She’s pushing me to get married because Aldo is getting hitched,” Ardo grumbled.
Ardo was the second of three siblings, with both his older and younger sisters already married. Being the only son, he was the most beloved by the extended family on both his mom and dad’s sides, as he was the first grandson and the first male child. Ardo’s mom had likely grown tired of reminding him to get married. She could easily find a wife for her only son if he asked, but Ardo saw marriage as far more complex than that.
“Speaking of Aldo... I’ll probably get the same pressure to get married from my parents because of him. That sneaky bastard! Why does he have to get married now?” Tomi, who was in a similar situation, chimed in. “He’s just making things hard for his friends.”
They were only 28, still busy with their careers, and what was the rush to get married at a time like this? Ardo and Tomi didn’t want to feel trapped in a marriage just to satisfy their families’ expectations.
A little while later, the food arrived, and the waiter served it to the table. Tomi’s eyes lit up with joy, as he was easily hungry and this was his first meal of the evening. The waiter left, and Ardo took a sip of his tea before starting to eat.
As the night grew late, Ardo chatted with Tomi, not knowing when they would head home. His thoughts lingered on his mom’s words, especially given the recent incident of his social media accounts disappearing. First one account, then gradually others followed, which was stressing Ardo out.
The influencer was now imagining his team trying to figure out how to restore his social media accounts, but Ardo had already given up hope. He suddenly slammed the table, causing Tomi to jump in his seat.
“Damn it! Chill out, Do!” Tomi exclaimed.
“I’ve got a great idea, Tom.”
Ardo looked at him with determination, smiling meaningfully at Tomi, who tilted his head in confusion. Usually, when Ardo was like this, he would end up going into the forest, climbing a mountain, or visiting small towns just to get away.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Tomi murmured.
“Let’s go on a motorcycle tour!” Ardo said enthusiastically.
“Ahh! No way, my butt gets sore from sitting too long on a bike. Because of my job, I spend too much time sitting in an office. It’s only gotten better after Indra forced me to exercise regularly. I’m on a break right now, monkey, don’t drag me into your crazy plans! But if you’re talking about a trip abroad, count me in—as long as it’s all expenses paid!” Tomi made his excuses.
Ardo looked at Tomi Setiawan with disappointment. “When’s Rey coming back? Indra and Aldo are probably too busy to hang out.”
“Rey? He should be landing tomorrow afternoon if there are no delays. As for Aldo and Indra, don’t even ask—they’re busy with their own worlds,” Tomi replied.
“Lame,” Ardo muttered.
 
***
 
The following afternoon, Ardo wore his usual sunglasses, perched on his nose whenever he stepped out, even just to walk through a crowd. He did this because he didn’t want to be recognized by people. He didn’t want to be bombarded by fans asking for photos and autographs. Moreover, the news of Ardo’s account disappearance was still trending on the internet.
“Being famous in a this country is a pain. Too many problems and weird fans. Now I understand why Indra doesn’t want to take on any structural positions in the company or other businesses,” Ardo muttered to himself as he adjusted his hat and black hoodie. He was at the airport, waiting for Rey’s arrival from Singapore.
Sometimes, Ardo didn’t understand how sweet Rey could be with his grandmother. The half-colonizer blooded man could just fly from America, Indonesia, or any country at any time whenever his grandmother wanted to see him.
“At least I’ve got a friend to hang out with,” Ardo said to himself.
Lafdive, Rey’s restaurant, was running smoothly without him needing to oversee it. His management team was very experienced in the field, and Rey didn’t need to worry too much because the people working for him were trustworthy and competent.
“There he is,” Ardo said happily.
He then held up a sign that read, “Welcome Rey Hutomo!” Rey walked over, trying to stifle his laughter at the colorful sign Ardo was holding.
Rey was wearing knee-length shorts and a white T-shirt. The airport was like a wide fashion show runway as Rey approached Ardo, not because he was a chef but because Rey was someone who paid attention to details and had a keen interest in fashion.
Rey quickly lowered the sign, which he found embarrassing, using his arm, and folded the colorful cardboard. Ardo grinned, amused by his friend’s jokes, then Rey playfully headlocked him. They were about the same height, and their physical strength was likely on par since they both enjoyed intense physical activities, although not as extreme as Indra.
“You jerk! What are you doing with that tacky sign?” Rey grumbled.
“Ow, ow! Just so you’d see it clearly, Rey! Didn’t they say your eyesight’s been a bit blurry because of lack of rest?”
Ardo pretended to wince in pain, and Rey let go of him. They walked out of the airport, and that evening, Ardo would be Rey’s personal chauffeur. In the car on the way to Rey’s apartment, Ardo yawned a few times from exhaustion. His mind was too chaotic, and he couldn’t stop thinking when he should’ve been sleeping these past few days.
“How’s your account, dude? Got it back yet?” Rey sat in the front seat near the driver.
“I don’t know. Just let it be. Don’t bring it up again. I also want to take a break from the internet. Burned out.”
Ardo was indeed reluctant to discuss it any further. His reason for picking up Rey was to invite him on a motorcycle tour. Rey could ride his VIAR Vortex 250, and Ardo would be on his CBR.
Ardo and Rey got along well. Rey also enjoyed physically demanding activities, and they had made a pact to tour between cities to relieve the stress of daily life. Rey might seem flamboyant and aristocratic, but he still had a free spirit that needed an outlet.
“Now I’m itching to climb a mountain again,” Ardo said.
“Hiking traumatized Tomi with snakes. And Aldo was just complaining the whole time. It wasn’t fun, monkey.”
“But Four Eyes ended up going along, even though he kept asking to stop.”
Rey laughed, reminiscing about their teenage years. “He’s a strange one. I can’t believe he’s getting married soon.”
“Giska got trapped, that’s why. He’s so sneaky.” Ardo chuckled to himself.