I carefully typed the message I was about to send to Kala, rereading it several times before finally pressing send.
Good afternoon, Kala. This is Binar.
Oh, hi Bee.
I never expected to get a message from you.
So, have you made a decision?
After thinking it over, the offer from Boga Rasa is quite interesting. At first, I wasn't confident, to be honest.
Not confident? That doesn't sound like you. I've watched your videos many times.
You're always so full of confidence—anyone would be envious.
But I'm really worried that I won't be what Boga Rasa is looking for.
Your worries are actually unfounded. This is a great opportunity.
Especially since I personally chose the model.
Wow, so this is a direct choice from the Director himself?
Of course. My judgment is rarely wrong. So, is it a yes?
I'll pass your number to my promo staff.
They'll contact you soon to go over everything you need to prepare.
Honestly, I'm really nervous.
Seriously? I thought you'd enjoy a new challenge like this.
There are so many advertisement models out there, I just didn't expect you to pick me.
You sound like someone who's unsure of herself. Just look at yourself.
Anyway, I have a meeting with the board now. I'll call you later, okay?
Alright. Sorry for disturbing you.
My emotions were all over the place, but I tried to stay calm. I took deep breaths several times to reassure myself that I wasn't making a mistake. Just as I was starting to feel more at ease, my phone suddenly rang, making me jump.
A woman named Sofi, who introduced herself as a Boga Rasa employee, explained several things I needed to prepare for the upcoming advertisement shoot. We spoke for quite a while before the call ended, and she promised to contact me again later.
Even after the call with Sofi, my emotions remained unsettled. I had come this far, yet I still doubted myself.
A faint sound of Arkan crying from his room made me rush over. I left my phone behind and hurried to check on him.
"What's wrong, Arkan?" I asked, gently rubbing his arm.
There was no response. A few moments later, his crying stopped. As if nothing had happened, he went back to sleep. I shook my head, brushing away the sweat on his forehead. He must have had a nightmare.
Leaving his room, I went to retrieve my phone, as there was something I wanted to discuss with Dewo.
Seeing two missed calls from Kala made me quickly send him a message. Did he have something important to discuss?
I hesitated, unsure whether to call him back. He had mentioned being in a meeting earlier. Just as I was about to press the call button, my phone rang again—Kala's name flashing on the screen.
"Sorry, I couldn't pick up earlier. Arkan was a bit fussy—he gets that way during his naps," I explained.
"Arkan? Oh … right, your son," he said.
"Yes."
"He must look like his father," he commented, making me frown. Did he call just to talk about this?
"Not at all. Everyone says he doesn't resemble me either," I replied.
"Well, only your eyes look similar. I've never seen his father on your social media. Now I'm really curious, since we're on the topic of Arkan."
I was silent for a moment after he finished speaking.
"Arkan doesn't have a father anymore," I said without thinking.
"Oh … I'm so sorry. I had no idea and ended up bringing this up."
"Sorry, I won't mention it again.
It must be painful to have someone suddenly dig into your past like this," he said again.
"It happened a long time ago, and I don't dwell on it anymore. Ah… sorry, why am I even talking about this? So, why did you call?" I asked.
"Think of me as more than just a stranger. You can talk about anything," he said.
"You are still a stranger to me.We've only known each other for less than twenty-four hours," I pointed out.
"This feels like a mandatory neighborhood check-in," he teased.
"But haven't we already known each other through social media? I know you well from your videos." He sounded so sure of himself.
"That's not the same as actually knowing someone. We've never even met face-to-face before."
"So, since I'm still a stranger to you, how about we get to know each other better? That way, you won't feel awkward sharing things with me. And likewise, I don't want our interactions to be strictly formal, just about work."
"Okay," I replied.
"You're really a cold person. I just said all that, and you respond with one word—okay?" I couldn't help but laugh at his remark.
"So, what kind of answer do you want? 'Okay' already covers everything. Wait… why did you call me again?"
"I just wanted to check if my staff had contacted you."
"Yes. A woman named Sofi called earlier. She said she'd be sending over the collaboration proposal soon," I explained.
"Oh, by the way, regarding the new Boga Rasa product, I've asked our distributor to send some samples to your store."
"Seriously? Wow, I can't wait to try the premium flour!" I said excitedly.
"Of course, I'm serious. You need to try it first so you can fully immerse yourself in the role for the ad."
"Wait, is that a thing? Getting into character for an ad? But thanks, I really appreciate it. I'm excited! You'll get one of my finished products as well," I said cheerfully.
"To make our discussion about this collaboration more relaxed, do you have time tonight?" His question caught me off guard, and I didn't answer right away.
"I think we should meet in person so we can talk more.
How about we discuss it over dinner?" (*)