Chapter 67 - A Small Kiss

"Aruna, who is he?" Desi flicked Aruna's hand, whispering while taking photos.

"Think of it as a philanthropist." Aruna softly replied.

"Ah, he doesn't seem like not just anyone."

"You think too much, Sis."

"No.. I feel like I've seen it."

"Well, you should go back to the classroom." 

The volunteers provided direction. Some of them shook Hendra and Aruna's hands before they finally said goodbye.

"Sis, you leave your clothes." The little girl handed over Hendra's coat to Aruna.

Aruna spontaneously opened the coat, helped the man beside her to wear a cream coat dangling over Hendra's tall body, and tried to tidy up.

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet the children, Desi."

"You're Desi, right?" Hendra asked.

"Ah, yes." Desi was surprised. 

This strange man had been silent before.

'Oh it's him, right!?' Desi remembered something. 

This blue-eyed man caught a glimpse at the infotainment.

"Come to our wedding."

"We'll send the invitations later." Hendra added.

"WHAT??"

"Our?? You and Aruna?" Desi was really surprised.

"Yes .. Also invite other friends." Hendra was so relaxed. He even hugged Aruna's shoulder."

"Hehehe." Aruna made a controversial laugh as she slowly lowered Hendra's hand.

"What about Damar?" Desi muttered. 

She was still shaken by the info just now.

"Damar, who is he??" Hendra faintly heard it. 

He pretended not to know.

"E... No.. No.. he's just a bestfriend who likes to bother Aruna." Desi immediately corrected it. 

Almost everyone in Aruna's friend circles realized that Damar was after Aruna's lousy love.

"Thank you for coming..."

"I will not miss your wedding." Desi changed the conversation. 

She escorted them back to the car and occasionally glanced at Aruna as if asking for an explanation.

The two black cars sped fast over the toll road.

"Next time you have to tell the truth about your relationship with him, or I will make it difficult for you two." Hendra's words clearly sounded like a threat.

..

The two black cars sped fast over the toll road.

"Next time you have to tell the truth about your relationship with him, or I will make it difficult for you two." Hendra's words clearly sounded like a threat.

Aruna glanced at Hendra, observing his facial expression.

The man looked full of anger.

'How long do I have to deal with a man whose emotions fluctuate like this?'

The car was quiet again.

"Sir, I received a message from Mr Surya asking you to check your phone." Hendra welcomed his bodyguard's request.

The Wenceslas Group's CEO seemed to reply to chats several times. In the end, he decided to call Surya.

"I told you that Wenceslas Group will not take any contracts related to the government." His face was gloomy.

"Tell them and don't protest too much." Hendra was angry this time.

"They are at the main office. The architects are waiting for you. They said they will not leave until they meet you." Surya's voice, on the other side, was faint.

"Whatever. Nothing can change my decision."

"Not having anything to do with the government is a Wenceslas tradition. No one is allowed to change it." Hendra shutted down his communication with Surya, without giving his secretary a chance to explain.

Aruna was playing her new phone when Hendra was seen busy communicating with his phone.

"Put your phone. I don't like seeing people near me using their phone." The man tried to control her again.

'What's wrong with his mood? Why is he angry? Even though earlier at the study studio, he was adorable.'

"You are weird." Aruna's chirps reduced the irritation in her heart.

"Pull your words! And apologise! I'm too lazy to fight." Hendra replied to Aruna's expression.

"Huh, aren't you the one who likes to fight and suddenly changed?"

"I ?? You dare..." Hendra's threat was cut off. 

He got back on the phone.

"Now what?!" This man chose to pick up his phone. 

Surya asked for time again.

"They are interested in SDGs, which we always strive for in every MD Construction development program (Mega Wenceslas Construction is a construction business for the Wenceslas Group's subsidiary)."

"Riswan Hamim promises to run this project cleanly. He is a known mayor of transparency." Surya lobbied. 

He was pressured by architects and senior officials from the MD Construction subsidiary.

"Isn't he our former architect? He has a proven track record during his tenure as an employee. He is also the most favored candidate for the presidential candidate in society, the survey said" Surya convinced.

"This is a good opportunity for us, Hendra." Surya tried to find a way to conquer his boss. 

It looked like Hendra's secretary had been conquered by MD Construction.

"I'm not sure the President Director will agree. This is against the Wenceslas Group's principles. But, I want to know what project Riswan wants?" Hendra asked.

"Worship buildings with the theme Bhineka Tunggal Ika."

"What do you mean?" Hendra asked.

"He will build 5 worship buildings close together at once. The concept will be energy-efficient buildings and supports the SDGs program."

"He wants the building to be the heart of the city. It will be the center of Economic, health, and education. So one unit. Not much different from what we have built in Central Java. The elderly or blind people can go back and forth in congregation without assistance."

(Sustainable Development Goals is abbreviated as SDGs are 17 goals with 169 measurable achievements and deadlines set by the United Nations as a world development agenda for the benefit of humans and planet earth)

"Hmmm..." Hendra grinned.

"So he is preparing to be a presidential candidate." Hendra added. In the next 2 years, there will be a presidential election.

"There is no sign of that direction yet."

"No need for a sign. He's planning to get there."

"Tell the MD Construction people to go home, or they won't work forever." Hendra threatened.

"Tch, You are.. just look at the positive side for once!" Surya exclaimed.

"I'm too lazy to hear you. Turn off the phone." Hendra put down his phone, glancing at Aruna. 

The girl immediately hid her phone.

"Where were we?" He wanted to continue their conversation earlier.

The car suddenly churned for a moment.

"Sorry, Sir." The driver apologised.

Aruna's phone dropped and Hendra picked it up.

"So, is this our wedding invitation?" Hendra asked. 

Aruna was looking at the photo that Dea sent on the Magic Letter WhatsApp group. 

It was an ocean blue color 3D invitation theme.

"Didn't you agree with it?" 

Aruna sent the design to Hendra's office and the man said yes through his secretary.

"Ah, I didn't have time to see it. I asked Surya to check it."

'What the heck!!' Resentment attacked Aruna's heart.

"Is this the Bunda BISA community?" Hendra asked. 

One photo depicted a group of mothers working with knick-knacks.

"Yes, that's right." Aruna replied.

"Hendra, we are also developing SDGs with the BISA community." This girl overheard Hendra and Surya's conversation.

"You know that kind of thing?" Hendra was a little surprised.

Aruna didn't look smart. In Hendra's mind, she was only a creative girl.

"Of course. Even though I was lousy at learning to count, I'm quite up to date about social things. When I was in high school, I was a social studies student." Aruna excitedly replied.

"We even develop 3 goals at once, goals 1, 2 and 8. In fact, we are more focused on goods jobs and economic growth (number 8) which sustainably support goals 1 and 2." Aruna convincingly added.

(SDG goal number 1: no poverty. Number 2: no hunger. Number 8: goods jobs and economic growth)

"Are you sure you run it??" Hendra was joking. But in fact, he wasn't so sure that Aruna had serious understandings about the SDGs.

"You're underestimating me. Just so you know, not all entrepreneurs or startups like me have a concern to provide sustainable assistance."

"Most of them choose short-term interventions. 'How much money do you need for training? We'll prepare for it, please maintain yourselves!' They are like that."

"They don't want to put much effort, or even to take risks by providing sustainable jobs, though they really need the jobs." Aruna seriously explained.

Her words were able to flick Hendra. It seemed that charity in his company was one of the short-term intervention performers.

The discussion between the husband and wife soon-to-be looked more fun and warm, unlike before, they tended to argue.

"Do you know Riswan? The mayor who is loved by millennial people?" Hendra asked.

"Ah, of course. He's one of my idols in politics."

"So naive." Hendra stroked Aruna's hair.

"That person used to be our architect. He was suddenly famous and chose to be a mayor."

"Today, he and his former friends who are still at MD Construction pressed me for the building project he dreamed of." Hendra added.

"He ever shared that on Instagram..."

"Is it true?"

"You must carefully consider it." Aruna advised.

"You want to help me?" Hendra asked.

"What can I do?"

"Well, the mayor and of course his wife specifically asked for my schedule. But I'm not sure I'll agree to it."

"Maybe I can change my mind when I'm with you. Just think of it as training to be the Wenceslas family wife." 

"Oh, his wife? I've ever met her. She is a friendly person." Aruna looked happy.

"Em.. if I help you, can I take a picture with them?" Aruna asked.

"They are famous, so I want to upload it on my Instagr*m."

"Hehe." Hendra laughed because the girl beside him was too innocent. 

He thought there was a primary reason that made her interested in providing assistance. It turned out to be just for social media upload.

.

.