Bella POV.
Akhir Februari skripsi bab hasil: grafik selesai, interpretasi tiga halaman, kirim PDF subuh. Dosen balas sore: *Good. Perbaiki discussion paragraf 2.* Aku revisi hari itu juga—disiplin ratu.
Paper komunitas draft full kirim dr. Lestari—subject *Dental education posyandu pilot.* Balasan: *Co-author consider if revise ok.* Aku screenshot, teriak pelan; Irash protes, ketawa. Papi traktir es krim keluarga—celebration academic kecil.
Proses grafik skripsi memakan tiga malam—Excel, export PNG, caption axis, dosen komplain once “Legend unclear,” aku perbaiki until midnight. Mata merah, hati puas. Bab hasil bukan sastra; bab hasil bukti kerja lapangan yang kuat.
Mami bilang, “Almost doctor path.” Aku jawab, “Long path, mih. But visible now.”
Senin draft discussion paragraf fixed, skripsi re-upload. Selasa dr. Lestari comment section three paper—add local citation. Rabu booth mall phase two shift singkat—Ello represent contractor, tidak mention dinner confess. Foot traffic data masuk spreadsheet skripsi—evidence chain complete.
Kamis om Atma invite dinner formal—celebrate graduates Naya and Noah, grup keluarga. Aku tunjukkan papi.
“Mau silaturahmi. Aturan sama.”
“Siap, komandan.”
Sebelum dinner, aku final check skripsi discussion paragraf—grammar, sitasi, save PDF version 3.2. Email dosen: *Revised discussion attached.* Balasan cepat: *Better. Proceed bab pembahasan.* Aku fist pump kecil di kamar—academic win before social test.
Dinner restoran hotel—meja panjang, lampu dim, waiter formal. Aku pakai hijab style modest sesuai undangan, papi jas, mami dress elegant. Irash tidak ikut—uud sekolah, babysitter tante. Fokus adult silaturahmi tanpa buffer adik, tapi papi tetap di sampingku.
Om Atma toast: “Anak-anak yang jaga adab dan kerja.” Naya dekat om Saga; Noah dekat om Radit; aku dekat papi dan mami. Ello dekat Naya with careful space—one chair gap.
Bang Noah selamat formal ke Naya; selamat ke aku soal paper draft—dengar dari jaringan om Atma-dr. Lestari. Aku jawab, “Makasih, bang. Semoga proyek lapangan lancar.”
“Amen. Skripsi lo juga.”
Dua kalimat—cukup.
Saat main course, om Radit tanya Naya soal revisi sidang; om Saga bangga publicly. tante Adis tanya magang ku paper; aku jawab singkat, genuine. Ello tidak stare Naya creepy—just occasional glance. Bang Noah jawab om Nino soal drainage mall integration—technical, clean. Aku tidak perlu masuk percakapan itu; aku cukup makan sup, shalat magrib di musala hotel dengan mami, kembali dessert.
Dessert, foto keluarga besar—jarak barisan Atmadja-Tedja. Flash twice, selesai. Pulang papi tanya, “Tenang?” Aku jawab, “Tenang, pih.”
Noah POV.
Februari akhir, gue submit client presentation Senin—slide twenty, rehearse Sunday night. Naya ask feedback one diagram; gue send markup professional. Ello ask coffee talk Naya; gue decline third wheel instinct—text: *You two talk. I busy.* Mature avoidance good kind.
Dinner formal—jas, small talk bisnis dan CSR. Om Atma eye contact gue: approval conditional but warmer. Bella stable; paper news gue happy short—not long speech at table.
Om Atma toast mention Bella paper draft—public acknowledge. Gue clap, sincere. Not jealous of academic win; inspired to keep engineering reports clean as her graphs.
Ello and Naya not holding hands—yet. Puput ask gue homework math—escape adult tension. Bokap drive home quiet, then: “Good job tonight.” Gue jawab, “Siap, pa.”
Sabtu site visit half day—laporan Senin. Minggu prep presentation client Senin. Engineer rhythm.
Bella POV.
Malam Minggu buku catatan:
*Naya sidang done. Booth mall done. Ello honest. Skripsi grafik done. Paper draft done. Dinner om Atma ok.*
Kimmy chat: *Proud of u.* Kiera: *Queen.* Maura: *Biyan video soon lol.*
Aku shalat, doa: semoga Naya dapat clarity, semoga Ello sabar, semoga bang Noah selamat lapangan, semoga sidang ku nanti lancar. Doa plural—bukan monolog cinta satu nama.
Papi ketuk kamar.
“Good night, ratu.”
“Good night, pih. Tahun ini terasa milikku.”
“Always yours.”
Bab berikutnya menunggu: ACC skripsi, keputusan Naya soal Ello, mungkin goncangan baru—tapi roti sudah bukan senjata. Aku tidur, spreadsheet dan flyer di kepala, hati tenang.
Senin pagi baru: papi antar puskesmas, Irash late breakfast, mami kiss forehead. Rutinitas kokoh. Bang Noah mungkin present client; kak Naya review revisi sidang; Ello maybe coffee wait. Aku fokus pasien dan paragraf discussion—dua dunia yang kupilih, dan kupilih dengan sadar.
Maret mengintip di kalender—paper deadline, magang evaluation, maybe mock sidang skripsi. Aku buka planner, block dates, tidak block heart for Noah. Kimmy chat morning: *March sprint with u remotely.* Aku kirim emoji checklist.
Di puskesmas, pasien lansia tanya, “Dokter muda, gigiku goyang.” Aku jelaskan perawatan dasar, arahkan ke poli—scope clear, humility intact. dr. Lestari overhear, later say, “Good referral instinct.” Praise kecil menumpuk.
Malam epilog batch, papi lewat ruang kerja, lihat grafik skripsi di layar.
“Cantik datanya.”
“Cantik karena anak-anak posyandu jujur, pih.”
“Same thing.”
Aku save file, backup cloud, backup flashdisk—paranoia researcher ala insinyur bang Noah. Kebiasaan paralel, orbit berbeda. Tutup laptop, shalat, tidur.
Paper draft v2 kirim dr. Lestari Minggu malam—subject line simple: *Revise per comments.* Balasan Senin pagi: *Much improved. Schedule co-author meeting next week.* Aku teriak kecil into pillow so Irash not scared. Co-author = milestone karier, not milestone cinta.
Papi baca email over coffee, smile. “Ratu paper.” Mami add, “Ratu rendang for celebration soon.” Irash ask, “Can I co-author taste test?” Keluarga laugh. Triangle drama fades volume; kitchen warmth rises.
Februari tutup: skripsi bab hasil locked, paper v2 sent, magang evaluation form dr. Lestari filled five pages strength weakness honest. Weakness ku: still occasional scroll grup keluarga too long—cut habit March.
Maret mengintip: co-author meeting dr. Lestari, booth mall phase three maybe, mock sidang skripsi April target. Bang Noah site visits continue; kak Naya kerja full; Ello wait Naya answer. Aku wait sidang ku dengan persiapan, bukan dengan menunggu pria pilih.
Perjalanan masih panjang menuju sidang kedokteran gigi dan jawaban Naya untuk Ello—but tonight, cukup.
Aksara